Ladakh: The Otherworldly Charm of India's Tibet

Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, a Buddhist monastery and fortress in the Leh district, is typical of Tibetan Buddhist architecture. Such gompas are not only places for prayer and meditation but spaces for religious learning

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This is Little Tibet. Located in India’s northern state of Jammu and Kashmir, much of Ladakh’s monastic architecture, as well as its culture, is akin to that of its neighbour. Monasteries perch precariously in the foothills of the Kunlun Mountains and majestic Himalayas, while resplendent bodies of water, such as Pangong Lake, sparkle, their crystal depths clear under blue skies. Distinctive high-altitude cold deserts stretch across vast plains, while in the base of the lofty valleys, sand dunes roll, patterned by natural forces. Within this striking landscape, where India, China, and Pakistan meet, ancestral traditions have endured. Ladakhis and nomadic tribes go about their ancient ways relatively untouched by the modern world—the region only opened to tourism in 1974. It is the “land of high passes.” Inhabitants of the Himalayan kingdom’s largest town, Leh, live at 3,500 metres above sea level. The wanderings of nomadic Tibetans take them beyond 4,500 metres. Such are the altitudes that those with lungs more accustomed to sea level will take time to acclimatise, and visitors to Ladakh are encouraged to do little but lie prone for at least the first day. This in itself is a challenge, for outside the windows or beyond the flapping canvas of the yurts lies the kind of dramatic scenery that takes away what breath is left. With visitor numbers on the rise, the time to take in the abiding charm of this magical land is now.

Traditional Tibetan events
take place all year round.
Monks often participate,
playing the Tibetan horn,
or dungchen, for example,
which they do at the Hemis
Monastery festival

While
the most comfortable time
to visit Ladakh is during
summer, those prepared
to brave winter’s frequent
below-zero temperatures and
snow-blocked roads will be
rewarded. Festivals continue,
offering opportunities to
interact with locals usually
bedecked in their finest
costume

it is also a juncture
when school-going children of
nomadic tribes return to help
their families with livestock,
which may be preyed upon
by snow leopards. Head
out on safari to try to catch
a glimpse of the region’s
elusive big cat. Last year,
authorities removed the
snow leopard from the list of
endangered species—further
encouragement to visitors
to sacrifice warmer climes
in favour of an increased
chance of sighting one of
these majestic creatures

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TRAVEL TIPS

GETTING THERE: It takes 90 minutes to fly from New Delhi to Leh, which has one of the world’s highest airports. Be sure to have appropriate medication for altitude sickness at hand and rest for at least 24 hours on arrival. In summer, Ladakh is reachable by road from Manali or Srinagar, and this is the best way to acclimatise gradually.

WEATHER: Festivals take place year round and offer visitors a memorable experience. Ladakh is busiest from April, when it starts to warm up. Late September and October are the most picturesque, and by November the temperature starts to drop and snow is expected. Flights can be affected by weather, so bear this in mind if you are on a tight schedule.

GETTING AROUND: Most hotels and travel firms can arrange cars, drivers and guides. Ladakh has the world’s highest drivable road, which rises above 5,800 metres between Chisumle and Demchok. Particularly picturesque routes include Leh to Pangong Lake (220 kilometres and about five hours) and Leh to Diskit in the Nubra Valley (120 kilometres and three hours).

ELECTRICITY: Electricity across Ladakh is volatile though reliability has improved in Leh in recent years. Rural towns often have no permanent supply and different areas may have access to electricity on different days of the week. Take backup batteries for digital items, particularly when visiting in winter as they run down more quickly in the cold.

WHERE TO STAY: Leh’s Gomang Boutique Hotel is an excellent choice for comfort and hospitality, while Ladakh Sarai’s options range from traditional mud houses to heritage rooms in a 100-year-old restored property. The Ladakh Sarai people have also opened the Hermitage at Pangong, a summer camp of eco-friendly yurts overlooking the stunning lake.

Ladakh’s ancestral sports include
polo and archery, each with rules
and traditions distinct from those in
the West. Archery festivals occur in
summer, where the sport is carried out
to the sounds of traditional musical
instruments as participants compete
in full costume

Polo is fast and furious
and played with hardy local ponies
used to the altitude by virtue of living
and grazing on high grasslands.
Horses are also used by nomadic
tribes for transport.

Grassland plains are punctuated by
wondrous high-altitude lakes such as
Tso Moriri, a brackish body of water
situated above 4,500 metres

Sand dunes roll across part
of the Nubra Valley, a highaltitude
cold desert that
separates Ladakh from the
Karakoram mountain range.
The Shyok and Nubra rivers
meet here, resulting in fertile
land that nurtures a range of
grains and fruit and is well
suited to grazing Bactrian
camels and pashmina
goats.The goats, also
known as changthangi, are
famed for their ultra-fine
wool, which is used in the
coveted scarves to which
they lend their name.